Machine for making taper tubes from hollow ingots



(No ModeL) S. P. M. TASKER.

MAGHINE FOR MAKING TAPER TUBES FROM HOLLOW INGOTS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

- .sw WITNESSES: u, Q l

UNITED, STATES PATENT Orricn,

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR-MAKING TAPER TUBES FROM HOLLOW INGOTS.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,575, dated December1, 1885.

Application filed July 21, 1885. Serial No. 172,189.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN P. M. TASKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for MakingTaper Tubes from Hollow Metal Ingots, of which the following isaspecification,

The object of my invention is the manufacture of a taper tube from ahollow tapering metal ingot by rolling either hot or cold (by means ofthe machine hereinafter de scribed) the said ingot down and out upon ataper mandrel at least of the required length of the tube to be formed,and the exterior configuration or form of which mandrel is such as it isdesired that the tapering bore of the resultant taper tube shouldpossess, thereby compacting and consolidating the substance of the metalof the ingot, thinning or reduc ing the latter in thickness, andelongating it and shaping it until the desired proportions are attained.The ingots which I employ are conico-cylindric or of a hollowconico'cylindriform structure, of any metal, and either open at bothends, closed at the smaller end, or closed at the smaller end andprovided through such closed end with an aperture for the traction rodof a mandrel.

As my machine is of especial applicability to the making of steel tapertubes, I contemplate also the employment of a steel castconico-cylindric ingot of a character invented by me, two applicationsfor patents for which werefiled in the United States Patent Office uponthe 14th day of May, 1885, and respectively numbered 165,695 and165,696.

Heretofore in the art of metal-rolling two or more pairs or sets ofequal-sized concavefaced rolls, the two rolls constituting therespective sets or pairs of which, being placed the one over the other,have crossed each other that is to say, have been adjusted in suchmanner that vertical planes respectively projected from their respectivelongitudinal axes have intersected each other at other than a rightangle, have been in successive disposition in the same machine employedfor rounding, straightening, and sizing tubes and rods, the said tubesor rods having been passed through the passes of the-successivesets in adirection which (N0 model.)

may for the purposes of explanation be described as right angular to acommon imaginary longitudinal axis of each pair of rolls, or in adirection much more nearly right angular to than parallel with thelongitudinal axis of each individual roll of each pair. In such amachine all of the rolls upon a given side of the line of feed of therod have, moreover, been arranged in a common frame with their axesparallel, and all of the rolls upon the other side of said line of feedhave likewise been arranged in another common frame with their axesparallel but angularly disposed with respect to or crossing, so tospeak,

the axes of the other series, the passes of all the sets having been ofthe same diameter,

and a common simultaneous adjustment of all of the passes having beenthe only adjustment thereof possible. Heretofore, again, a pair or setot'equal-sized concave-faced rolls placed one over the other so as tocross have been employed for rounding, straightening, and smoothingtubes and rods, the said rods or tubes having been introduced and passedthrough a pass extending longitudinally between or through, so to speak,the rolls, and in a direction coincident with their common axis asopposed to having been passed through them in a direction right angularto said common axis of the set. Heretofore also in the art ofmetal-rolling two or three equal-sized rolls having concave working-faces have been arranged, in a suitable housing, obliquely side byside, or one over the other, or spirally, as it were, around a commoncentral imaginary longitudinal axis of the set, so that the axes of therespective rolls forming each set have been inclined to each other indifferent planes, and each and all at an angle to the said commonlongitudinal axis, which is that of the article to be rolled, the saidarticle having been introduced through a pass extending longitudinallybetween or through, so to speak, the rolls, (which pass, as is wellknown, is an extended straight bearing obtained between the roll-facesin a line bisecting the angle of inclination of the rolls,) and the saidmachines as such having been employed for rolling, finishing, reducing,straightening, and smoothing rods, tubes, shafting, and othercylindrical or other tubular articles, which receive a spiral orcombined rotary and progressive movement from the rolls, which not onlyform the article to a true cylindrical shape, but at the same time feedit forward.

Assuming a set of rolls of either character last above described as agiven type, I may assume a set of rolls of the character first abovedescribed as another given type, and may de fine the distinguishingcharacteristic of the two types to be the direction in which the articleto be rolled is passed through the set of rollsthat is to say, whetherit be passed through them in a direction right angular to what I mayterm their common axis, as in the case of the rolls first described, orparallel or coincident with said common axis, as in the case of eitherof the sets of rolls last above described.

I have discovered that a superior merchantable taper tube of metal, butespecially that a taper steel tube, can be economically and successfullymanufactured either from a conicocylindric metal ingot, or especiallyfrom a conico-cylindric steel cast-ingot, by employing, in connectionwith a set of concave-faced rolls, the rolls of which set cross eachother and are positively driven, a taper mandrel adapted to be enteredhead or apex first and advanced through the pass of the set, theexterior configuration of which is that of the bore of the resultanttube upon which the ingot is placed, which is adapted to be rotatedabout its longitudinal axis with the ingot upon it, and which is atleast of the required length of the tube to be formed from said ingot,and also by employing, in connection with said mandrel and rolls, meansoperating as the mandrel advances for so controlling the relativeangular disposition of the axes of the pair of rolls that said rolls arecaused to gradually separate a distance sufficient to occasion thegradual diametric enlargement of the pass of the set as portions of themandrel of greater diameter progressively enter and advance through thepass of said set, whereby the substance of the metal of the ingot iscompacted and consolidated, and, after a sufficient number of repeatedpasses, the rolls being each time at starting adjusted to a smallernormal pass, the ingot itself thinned or reduced in thickness andelongated and shaped until the required proportions are attained.

Apparatus embodying a good form of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings and described in this specification, theparticular subject-matter claimed as novel being hereinafter definitelyspecified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a topplan view of an apparatusconveniently embodying a good form of my improvements, an ingot having aclosed advance end being shown in position upon the mandrel andundergoing reduction in its passage through the rolls in the directionof the arrow upon it. Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinalsectional elevation of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1, sectionbeing supposed in the plane of the dotted line a: m of said Fig. 1, andsight being taken in the direction of the arrows upon said line, thereduction of the ingot being also illustrated, and the mandrel beingprovided with a traction-rod, which passes through a hole in the advanceend of the ingot. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of major portion of theapparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a partial left-hand end elevational Viewof the apparatus represented in Fig. 1, the roll adjusting bars beingalso shown in section in the plane of their retaining-bolts. Fig. 5 is afragmentary face view of one of the rolls and a sectional elevationthrough a convenient form of one of its axle-boxings, showing alsoa-portion of one of the cylindriform segments of the housing and of oneof the roll-adjusting bars. The view is in the nature of an explanatorydiagram, and is neither drawn to scale nor isometrically correct.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents any suitable bed or foundation forsupporting the housings within which the rolls are journaled. M is ataper mandrel, or a mandrel which is to the extent of the length of thetaper tube to be produced conico-cylindrical, and which is adapted to berotated about its longitudinal axis by any convenient meansas, forinstance, by being swiveled at its rear extremity in the mandrel frameor carriage. B is a conico-cylindric ingot upon the mandrel. O O are twolongitudinally-extending parallel housings vertically erected from thebed or foundation, and either cast solid therewith or bolted orotherwise secured thereto. The housings, in the form of apparatus shownin the drawings, support aset of rolls, which are marked D. The rollsare each of the same size, and are respectively adjusted one above theother, and their axes, Whatever for the time being be the relativeangular disposition of the rolls, must always cross each other at anangle other than a right angle, and which is such as to cause theconcave working-surfaces of the two rolls to always present in anyangular relationship, not, however, right angular, a pass which whenviewed from the end of the machine is, whatever its diameter,practically circular.

The journaling or housing of the rolls and the means for controlling theset of said rolls are as follows: Each housing, in the region of itssupport of a set of rolls, has preferably the form of a segment of avertical cylinder, the said cylindrical segments being marked 0 c in thedrawings, or, at least, the said housings arevertically-cylindricallyconcaved on their adjacent faces, the curvature being the same in each,while the inner faces of said cylindrical segments of the housings areseparated from each other a distance equal to the diameter of a circlean arc of which corresponds with an arc of their inner curvedcylindrical faces-that is to say, a circle whose circumference is equalto that of the base of a supposed cylinder introduced vertically so asto fill the space between the cylindrical segments of the housing. Thecurved inner walls of both the segmental portions 0 and 0 therefore,have a common central vertical axis which is midway between them. Theaxles d of the rolls are preferably housed and journaled withinadjustable boxings or bearings (2*, which are respectively convenientlyfitted with respect to and adapted to have a movement withinreversely-disposed segmental ways H, formed in opposite pairs in therespective cylindrical segments of the housings, and two of which are asto each housing projectedin what may be termed diagonallyquarteredrelationship upon a common radius from a common center, which isconcentrio with what I have characterized the common longitudinal axisof the rolls, and is conveniently about midway of the vertical depth ofthe said cylindrical segments, as will be more clearly understood by areference to the drawings. By virtue of these pairs ofreversely-disposed segmental ways, within which either the axles of therolls or their boxings are, as shown, entered, the movement of the rollsfor increasing or diminishing the diameter of their pass becomes bothcertain and easy.

A suitable arrangement or disposition of the segmental ways for theaxle-boxings or the axles with respect to the cylindriform segments ofthe housings is represented in the drawings, and will be easilyunderstood by a reference thereto. The corresponding segmental ways inopposite cylindrical segments are of course diagonally opposite. Theends of the axles, or, when boxings are employed, a part of the boxings,project through their ways and beyond the outside faces of thecylindrical segments, and it is obvious therefore that if control is badof the said ends of the axles the set of the rolls with respect to eachother and with respect to their segmental ways can be controlled atwill, and the pass between the pair of rolls be in consequence increasedor diminished in diametric extent.

In order to simultaneously effectuate the predetermined movements of therolls of the set, I have devised the following convenient means forsimultaneous adjustment: I I are a pair of what I term travelingstandards, being vertically-erected framingposts con veniently providedwith laterally-projecting base plates or toes 1' i which take under andhave a movement with respect to longitudinally-extending overhunggrooves, channels, or lateral gutters a ta along the sides of the bed orfoundation. Each pair of traveling standards is preferably connected bya top crossbar, I, so that each pair of standards is connected by thecross-bar to form a transverse traveling frame, and both of these framesare connected together; or, when more than two frames are employed, eachframe connected with its neighbor by longitudinally-extending drive-barsJ J which are of any desired length,and preferably ofthelength of themandrel, and which are connected together by a traction-head, K, withrespect to which the traction-rod m is swiveled.

The traveling standards, connecting top nected whole to travellengthwise of the bed or foundation, and with respect to the housingsand rolls in either direction.

In the drawings no representation is made of any means for occasioningthe advance or retraction of the mandrel-frame for the reason that Iassume such representation to be unnecessary, because the variousappliances in common use for actuating inandrels and mandrel-frames arewell known to iron-masters. I assume it, however, to that any suitablemechanism is to be applied to the said carriage to occasion its advanceand retreat at any predetermined speed.

Adjustably supported conveniently with respect to the travelingstandards are four roll- 5 adjusting bars, L, as I term them, two ofwhich are applied at each side of the machine. These roll-adjusting barsare in effect grooved bars, they being provided with inturned flanges Zat top and bottom, so that as to its entire longitudinal extent a groovewithin which is entered the projecting extremity of the axlesof therolls or a part of the axleboxings. Thus both axles or the boxingsthereof of the upper roll are respect- I05 ively entered within thegrooves of the two upper roll-adjusting bars, and both axles or theboxings thereof of the lower roll are re spectively entered within thegrooves of the' two lower roll-adjusting shown in the drawings. The barsupon their side or back faces are provided with opposing pairs of lugs Zbetween which are contained as in a housing adjusting-nuts a, threadedupon adjusting-rods N, which cut with both a right and a left handedscrewthread, and which are housed in threaded sockets i convenientlyformed as a part of or connected with the traveling standards.

Each of the roll-adj usting bars is conveniently I20 maintained againstthe inner side faces of the traveling standards upon the side of theframe upon which said bar happens to be by means of retaining-boltsO,which pass through vertical slots P, formed in said standards. r2

The roll-adjusting bars, in whatever adjusted position they may he set,are a fixture with the traveling carriage,and travel with it from end toend of the bed-plate and longitudinally past the housings. parts eachupper roll-adjusting bar and each lower roll-adjusting bar is to beparallel with be understood 0 each bar presents bars, substantially as"I 10 i are 11 In the set of the 1 0 its opposite neighbor. It willtherefore be readily understood that if the two upper rolladjusting barsare given a slight pitch or downward inclination from front to rear andthe two lower roll-adjusting bars are similarly given an opposite pitchor upward inclination from front to rear, (which inclinations canreadily be imparted by the adj ustment of the adjusting-nuts n andretainingbolts 0,) and if the said inclinations happen to correspondwith the diametrically-opposite surface planes of the mandrel, theoperation of said roll-adjusting bars upon the axles of the rolls will.be such as in their advance with the mandrel frame or carriage tooccasion the gradual separation of the two rolls of the set, so that thepass of said set is automatically and gradually increased in diametricextent as the thicker portions of the mandrel advance through it. In thedrawings I have represented such a convergence or inclination of theroll-adjusting bars as corresponds to the taper of the mandrel. It isobvious, however, that a greater or less inclination can be imparted atthe will of the operative. By the original set of roll-adjusting barsthe initial diametric extent of the pass of the set can be quickly andaccurately determined. As a gearing to occasion the positive driving inopposite-directions of the two rolls of each set, I equip the said rollswith toothed wheels Q Q, the teeth of which. are of such form and spacedat such distances apart that notwithstanding varying relativeinclinations and consequent distances apart of the rolls the saidtoothed Wheels are in constant engagement, so that when rotation isimparted to one of them rotation in a contrary direction is alsoimparted to the other; and I also provide a driving spur-Wheel, It, upona shaft, 1", suitably journaled preferably beneath the foundation of themachine, the teeth of which spurwheel engage with the teeth of the lowertiothed wheel and occasion the rotation of the rolls to which saidwheels are applied in either direction at will. The housings constitutea most convenient framing, but the segmental ways may be formedindependently of or supported separately from the said hous- %1aving nowdescribed what I believe to be a convenient embodiment of my invention,and at the same time described the operation of the machine, it isproper for me to add that I believe myself to be the first to use aconicocylindriform mandrel the exterior contour of whichis that of thedesired bore of the tube, and which is of the length of the tube to beproduced, and also capable of rotation about its longitudinal axis, inconjunction with a set of positively driven angularly disposed orcrossing concave-faced rolls, and in conjunction also with means forcausing the gradual and predetermined approach and recession of saidrolls and the consequent gradual predetermined variance of diametricarea of the pass of the set by occasioning a predetermined variance oftheir relative angular disposition, by which arrangement it is possibleto reduce the external diameter of a tapering ingot placed upon themandrel,and by setting down the rolls after each pass to effect acontinued reduction until said ingot becomes atapering tube of thedesired thickness of Wall substance, which, it is to be observed, neednot be uniform throughout the tube and of no greater length than themandrel.

It is of course obvious that while the housing for containing and thespecific means for occasioning the simultaneous adjustment of the rollswhich I have represented and described are well adapted for the purpose,yet

that they are not essential to my invention" The especial adjustingdevices described, or others operating to substantially the same result,however, permit of the simultaneous adjustment of the pass of the rollsby a single movement or adjustment of the roll-adj usting bars, so as toaccommodate the rolls to any size of ingot within their range ofseparation.

The method of driving the rolls which I have represented is a good one,because it permits of their reversal to aid in backing out themandrel,and also of the driving of the rolls at different rates ofspeed.

The mandrel may be greater preferably driven by a power independent ofthe power employed to drive the rolls, and may, of course, be drivenindependently of the carriage or frame which drives the rolladjustingbars. I

The ingots may or cold.

The spiralor rotary progressive motion to which the ingot on the mandreland with it the mandrel to which it for the time being adheres issubjected prevents finning or irregularities of any kind, and thereforetends to produce a uniformly-tapering and very marketable tube.

The mandrel may be extracted from the tube after rolling by stretchingthe tube, by loosening the mandrel, and by extracting the latter by anysuitable means.

It is obvious that, if desired, the rolls may be set with their pass ofa predetermined diameter and the mandrel be operated independently ofthe carriage to which the rolladjusting bars are connected, the latterbeing maintained in any fixed position, and the entire machine be thusemployed for rolling cylindriform tubes.

It is proper for me to add that my machine without the mandrel is welladapted for reducing the diameters of rods, and, if desired, byasuitable adjustment of its pass for rounding, straightening, andfinishing such products, it being simply necessary for any that themandrel should be removed and the product to be operated upon bemanipulated be rolled down either hot driven at a speed or less thanthat of the rolls, and istapering tubes or such employment of saidmachine innits stead through the pass between the ro s.

I do not claim or seek herein to cover in connection with rolls of thecharacter herein set forth, and which are provided with positivemechanism for driving them, any mechanism for positively advancing orretracting the mandrel, as, while I may see fit to employ in connectionwith this apparatus means for operating the mandrel at either a greateror less speed than that imparted to the rolls, and although I deem suchproceeding clearly within my invention, yet I have made the driving ofthe mandrel the subject of claim in another application which I haveexecuted and filed contemporaneously with this application; nor yet do Iclaim herein the combination, with a pair of crossing concave -facedrolls, of a conico-cylindric mandrel; nor,again, the employment, inconnection with the axles of the rolls, of reversely-disposed segmentalways; nor, again, the roll-adjusting contrivances, per se, as theforegoing features form a part of the subject-matter of otherapplications executed and filed by me contemporaneously with thisapplication.

Having thus described my invention,I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. In a machine for making taper tubes from hollowconico-cylindric metal ingots, the combination of a pair ofconcave-faced rolls arranged with their axes inclined to each other, aconico-cylindric mandrel at least as long as the tube to be formed, andwhich is passed through the pass formed by the rolls in a directionright angular to their common axis, means for automatically oocasioningvariances in the angular disposition of the rolls, and consequentlyvariances in the diametric extent of their reducing-pass, and mechanismfor driving the rolls, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for making taper tubes from hollow conico-cylindricmetal ingots, the combination of a pair of concave-faced rolls arrangedwith their axes inclined to each other, a conico-cylindric mandrel atleast as long as the tube to be formed, and adapted to be passed throughthe pass formed by the rolls in a direction right angular to theircommon axis, means for automatically oocasioning variances in theangular disposition of the rolls, and consequently variances in thediametric extent of their reducing-pass, mechanism for driving gulardisposition of the rolls, and consequently variances in the diametricextent of their reducing-pass, and means for driving the rolls,substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for making taper tubes from hollow conico-cyliudricmetal ingots, the combination of a pair of concave-faced rolls arrangedwith their axes inclined to each other, a conico-cylindric mandrel atleast as long as the tube to be formed, adapted to be passed through thepass formed by the rolls in a direction right-angular to their commonaxis, and adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis, means forautomatically oocasioning variances in the angular disposition of therolls, and consequently variances in the diametric extent of theirreducing-pass, means for driving the rolls, and means for causing theadvance and retraction of the mandrel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine for makingtapertubes from hollow conicocylindric metalingots, the combination of a pair of concave-faced rolls arranged withtheir axes inclined to each other, a conico-cylindric mandrel at leastas long as the tube to be formed, and which is passed through the passformed by the rolls in a direction right angular to their common axis,housings for supporting said'rolls, reverselydisposed segmental ways forthe axles of the rolls, roll adjusting bars, means for moving saidroll-adjusting bars with respect to the housing, and means for drivingthe rolls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 6th day ofJuly, A. D. 1885.

STEPHEN P. M. TASKER.

In presence of- J. BONSALL TAYLOR, WM. 0. STRAWBRIDGE.

